Love in a Joke Shop
by knifethrowastarr
Summary: Written for the Twin Exchange February challenge. Location picked by DarkSaber3434. T for mild language. Hermione finds herself visiting the joke shop more often, and George enjoys their meetings. So what's stopping him from asking her out?


**Love in a Joke Shop by knifethrowastarr**

Submitted to the February challenge at the Twin Exchange: Love in unusual places

Location was picked by DarkSaber3434

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, just the plot.

Hermione stretched as high as she could on her tip toes to reach the top shelf. Her fingers brushed against the bottom of the box of daydream charms, and she only succeeded in pushing it father back onto the shelf.

She frowned and made a huffing noise. Her mini pout session was interrupted by George walking down the aisle.

"Need help, Hermione?" he asked, chuckling. She glared at him as he easily grabbed the box and handed it to her. "You know, you are a witch. You could have just summoned it."

Hermione sighed. "Yes I know, but I don't like to rely on magic for everything."

The truth was that she really just wanted George to come help her. But she would never admit that. Hermione Granger didn't use cheap set ups to attract the attention of men.

Well, not usually, anyway.

She wasn't sure when it had started. One day she had come into the shop to drop off lunch that Mrs. Weasley had prepared for the twins, and the next thing she knew she was coming in every couple days with some excuse as to why she had to. She wasn't sure why, but George had just seemed different to her, and these romantic feelings she had for him had appeared out of nowhere. So she would visit the shop, usually to buy some product or another, and flirt rather shamelessly with him.

George was not blind. He was missing an ear, not an eye. He saw how grown up Hermione had become. No longer the prissy, bushy haired and bossy bookworm, Hermione was, dare he say, a very attractive woman. He looked forward to her visits, which seemed to happen more frequently as of late. He was pretty sure she flirting with him, which he welcomed and reciprocated. She and Ron had parted ways amicably, leaving her free game to the Weasley clan, as stated in the Weasley brother handbook that Bill and Charlie had constructed in their Hogwarts days. So what exactly was stopping him from asking her out?

"George!" A shrill voice called to him from the front of the shop. Verity.

George frowned, and so did Hermione. "I'll, uh, put this up front for you while you look around some more, yeah?" George said, waving the box of daydream charms.

"Sure." Hermione said absently, turning to look at the shelves behind her.

George made his way back up front, his movements painstakingly slow. Verity, their very first employee, and currently George's girlfriend, was standing by the counter frowning with her hands on her hips.

"Where were you?" she asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I was helping a customer." He placed the box of charms on the counter to hold for Hermione.

Verity glanced down the aisle he had come down and huffed. "It's just Hermione Granger. Who cares?"

George clenched his fists. He couldn't really remember why he was even with Verity to begin with. She was snobby and rude ever since they'd gotten together, and insanely jealous and controlling. To be honest, George was completely miserable with her. His brief moments flirting with Hermione were the only bright spot in his week where his love life was concerned. Even Fred and Ginny had tried to tell him to ditch the blonde haired witch, but he couldn't do it. He assumed it was because he was too nice. She was an employee, and if he was to dump her, she'd probably quit and they'd lose the only help they had.

But as soon as she had said her comment about Hermione, something in him snapped.

"Who cares?" He seethed.

"Yeah, what kind of help could she possibly need? She's one of the saviors of the Wizarding world, probably expecting you to wait on her hand and foot." Verity flipped her hair over her shoulder before she continued. "Nose always stuck in a book, that one. I don't even know why she's in a joke shop. Maybe she lost her way while she was heading for Flourish and Blotts." She giggled at what she must have thought was a joke.

George had had enough. "First of all, just because she helped Harry finish off Voldemort, doesn't mean she expects us to all bow down at her feet. She's much more humble than you believe her to be. And just because she likes to read doesn't mean she doesn't belong here. I like to read too and I own the place! So I'd appreciate it if you kept your nasty comments about Hermione to yourself."

Verity scoffed. "You don't like to read, George. And why does it sound like your defending her? Do you fancy her or something?"

George had been trying to keep the volume of his voice down, but Hermione was the only other person in the store, and he found he didn't much care about yelling at Verity in front of her. "As a matter of fact I do fancy her, Verity! Much more than I have ever liked you, as a matter of fact! And, it goes to show how much you really know me, because I do like to read!" He heard the faint clattering of something falling to ground from the direction of the aisle Hermione was browsing. She had definitely heard what he had said.

Verity's mouth was hanging open. She tried to protest but nothing was coming out of her mouth.

"I think it'd be best if you left now. If you don't want to work here anymore, I understand, but I don't think I can be with someone as stuck up and arrogant as you, Verity. Sorry." And the truth was that George wasn't sorry at all.

"Go to hell, George Weasley." Verity spat. She turned and looked to Hermione, who had just emerged from the aisle and was looking at the two of them with wide eyes. "He's all yours, you frizzy haired whore."

Hermione watched gobsmacked as Verity stormed out the front door and slammed it behind her.

George breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Hermione. "Sorry about that."

Hermione nodded. "It's quite alright, George." She cleared her throat. "So, did I hear you say you fancied me?"

George blushed, the tip of his ear tinged pink. "It's possible."

"Did you mean it?"

"Well, of course I did." George walked towards her and took her hands in his. "You've bewitched me, Hermione Granger." He grinned at her.

Hermione laughed. "I'd have to say, you've done the same to me."

"So, are you free later?" George asked. "I mean, I've just broken up with my girlfriend, and, well, I need some comforting." He put on his best sad face.

"Aww, poor Georgie." She reached up and patted his head. "I'm free, but I need to ask you a question."

"Sure, go ahead." George walked behind the counter to bag her box of daydream charms. When she tried to give him money he waved her hand away.

"Do you really like to read?"

George burst out laughing. "Not really. But it sounded convincing, didn't it?" he handed her the bag and put his arm around her shoulder and walked her to the door.

Hermione shook her head and laughed. She got up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Pick me up at 6?" She asked.

"Looking forward to it, love."

Hermione smiled at him before walking out of the shop.

George grinned and turned the sign in the shop window, closing the shop. He had a date to plan.


End file.
